By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
On Tuesday night in Naperville, Plainfield East’s boys head basketball coach Mike Fowler was looking for a big bounce-back win from his Bengals. After suffering a hard-fought Southwest Prairie Conference loss at Oswego East on Friday night, a win over the hosts from Neuqua Valley was needed.
Leading the host Wildcats 22-20, with a little over four minutes remaining in the half, the Bengals decided to play a little defense.
Over the next seven minutes, during the second and third quarter, the hosts from Neuqua Valley didn’t score a single point. The Bengals went on a 16-0 run, to open up a 38-20 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Playing on the road for the seventh consecutive game, Plainfield East, went on to a 66-40 demolition of Neuqua Valley (4-4) to improve to 5-2.
On Friday night, the Bengals will travel to Joliet for an SPC battle with Joliet Central (4-2, 0-1). On Saturday, the Bengals will hit the road again, to take on Rockford Auburn in Rockford Saturday night.
Finally, on Saturday December 22, the Bengals will play their home-opener against Providence at 2:30.
Bengal senior Yamani Shareef, buried five three-pointers for his 15 points, which tied senior Noah Woulard for team-high honors
“We started out in the first quarter without defensive intensity,” Shareef said. “In the second quarter. we picked up our defensive intensity and shut them down, completely. Friday at Joliet Central is a game we have to win, after losing at Oswego East, last Friday.”
Woulard, also scored 15 points and hauled down seven rebounds coming off the bench. 6-foot-4 junior Chris Shumate, scored nine points and hauled down five rebounds. Shumate, had a pair of rim-wrecking slams among his four hoops on the night.
“Intensity. Execution. Effort. Those were the three words we brought into tonight’s game,” Woulard said. “We all played very well and came away with a big road win. At Joliet Central on Friday night. I’m excited!”
Sophomore Kyrell Daniel scored seven points, hauled down four rebounds and picked up a huge assist coming off the bench,
The bench contributed to the 16-0 game-winning run. Kendall Carter scored to give the Bengals a 24-20 lead and after a Woulard free-throw, sophomore Dan Gilbreath scored to make it 27-20 Bengals.
With 1:18 left in the half, Shareef hit from downtown to give the Bengals a 30-20 lead and then with 1 second remaining in the half, Shareef buried his third three-pointer for a 33-20 Bengal halftime lead.
On the first offensive Bengal series of the third quarter, Shumate’s first rim-rattler slam, put the Bengals up 35-20. Shareef launched his fourth triple soon afterword and the Bengals led 38-20.
“I couldn’t really get into the offense early on,” Shumate said. “I did what I could to help by setting screens anything else I could do. We play great team defense which take the opposing team completely out of what they are trying to do.”
“Our bench is outstanding. We have people on our bench who can and have had double-digit scoring nights. And we have people off the bench who play great defense.”
“At halftime Coach Fowler told us, that Neuqua was going to come out in the second half and try to punch us in the nose,” Daniel said. “Instead we punched them in the nose. A great win and we are coming after Joliet Central right now!”
In the fourth quarter, the Bengal bench shined, as sophomore Javen Mays picked up four points and Carter added a pair of free throws to his four point night.
“We didn’t play very well on defense, at Oswego East, Friday night,” Fowler said. “I’ve known Neuqua Valley coach Todd Sutton, a long time and I knew they were going to throw a number of different offenses, at us.”
“Our defense totally shut down everything they threw at us. This was a great team win and a much needed win. I told the kids, this week. we will find out what we are made of. We will get a grinder of a game at Joliet Central. from Coach Thompson, on Friday. And a long bus ride, to Rockford on Saturday, to play a very good Auburn team.”
“I really believe all of this, will make us a much better team, in February.”